مداخلة الجمعية المغربية لحماية وتوجيه المستهلك
MAY THE CONSUMMER HAVE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT HE EATS
Dr Bouazza KHERRATI
Moroccan Association for the Consumer Protection and Orientation ( MACPO)
ABSTRACT:
In the U.S., it is estimated that about 1 to 2.5 percent of the adult population and up to 6 to 8 percent of children are affected by some kind of food allergy. Worldwide, 90 percent of food allergies are caused by eight foods: peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean and wheat. The same pattern for cancer and cardiovascular diseases may also observe and all diseases are developed by contaminated food produced by the conventional means or through biotechnology. So the main question which may arise from these data is: what had changed since 20 years ago? Sure the life style as every one can answer. But was the change in the right way or the wrong way? This may be seen from different stand points, people who does not know will sure say in the right way since we can find food and we are living more comfortably than before, but people involved in the field may see that the situation is being more catastrophic than ever.
Let us have an oversight on the surrounding problems and then we can withdraw a clear idea. All the crops are contaminated by chemicals including pesticides hormones and dioxins as well as strange genes due to transgeny and/or genetic modification, all the meats are contaminated by hormones and dioxins as well as strange genes due to transgeny and/or Genetic modification, all the processed food are contaminated by chemicals as additives, all the packaged food are contaminated by plastic. Other practices can also provide chemicals such as the cooking procedures including gas oven and microwave oven as well as teafal and aluminum.
The life style has changed from natural food products to chemical made ones and the home made meals are now being processed by the manufacturers. The industrialized countries are suffering more than the developing countries, but these are following the same pattern and will reach the same situation. Diseases due to the life style change are now growing in the developing countries because of the lack of information and also the fragility of the governments.
The consumer protection should not be seen as a law challenge but also a scientific challenge to avoid potential problems which can arise from some complicated techniques rather in breeding, growing crops or processing some new products such as margarines and darkened olives. The consumer may have a minimum right to know what he will eat in the future, and a civilized society should really make everything clear to the consumer about all the products he may consume or use in his life.
